


Lovestruck Idiots

by mrgoldsdearie



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Storybrooke, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Rumbelle Secret Santa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-20
Updated: 2015-12-20
Packaged: 2018-05-07 05:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 20,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5445104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrgoldsdearie/pseuds/mrgoldsdearie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Alasdair Gold works for Belle French at French’s Pawnbroker and Antiques, and he has a bit of a crush on his boss. Unbeknownst to Alasdair, Belle feels the same the way about him. After a chat with friends, Miss French and Mr. Gold work up the courage to ask the other out on a date. Things between them heat up on their first date and the truck Alasdiar borrowed from a friend starts to rock.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lovestruck Idiots

**Author's Note:**

> Hello @rebelside! *waves* This is your Rumbelle Secret Santa gift ^^ (I hope you’re not disappointed for getting the girl who wrote corn porn.) You prompted: Rumbelle baby making or birthing. I gave you both! When I found out what your prompt was, I was a bit stumped because it was something I could write in a day or two. For me, that wouldn't have been fair to you if I presented something that I hammered out in less than a week. No wam bam thank you ma’am for this fic. I needed plot. So with the help from my good friend, we thought of one :D 
> 
> I worked in some of the answers I got from the questions I asked you. I really hope you like it and that you catch your answers in the story. Please enjoy. I know it’s long and I told myself not to write a fucking novel, but here we are. Oops. Let me know what you think. Its been a joy being your Sandy Claus. *ho ho ho*
> 
> (Sorry about the fic title. I couldn’t think of anything and I had the story labeled this way in docs. I told myself I would think of something else to name it by the time it was finished, but nope. My mind went blank and this is what the story got stuck with. Sorry.)

##  _Part One: A Day At Work_

The spring sun beams into the windows of the loft apartment located above the Storybrooke Library. Welcoming this Friday morning. Alasdair Gold awakes from his slumber, rubbing his eyes, and turns out of bed to prepare himself for a day at work.

He eats a quick breakfast of frosted corn flake cereal and takes a shower. After brushing his teeth, Alasdair changes into his pressed indigo shirt. Ties his black paisley tie into a double Windsor knot and steps into his pants. He swings the jacket of his black suit around his shoulders and checks himself in the mirror. Making sure not a single strand of hair is out of place. Now dressed and satisfied with his appearance, Alasdair steps out of the apartment, limping on his black and gold handled cane.

He walks a few short blocks to his place of employment at French’s Pawnbroker and Antiques.

##  ********

“Good morning, Miss French.” Alasdair greets his boss and closes the glass door behind him.

“Morning, Mr. Gold,” she answers.

He can hear her voice, but doesn’t see her. Any other day she’d be standing at the register, but today it appears he has to find her. “Where are you?”, he asks, looking to follow the sound of her voice.

“I’m over here.”

He shuffles to the glass display counter in front of a wide bookcase. He leans over and finds the top of Belle French’s mahogany curls.

She sits on the floor organizing the bottom shelf of antique books.

“Miss French?”

“Yes?” She peers up at him with deep sapphire eyes.

“I found you,” replies, lips curling into a half smile. He thinks she’s gorgeous today in her indigo dress. Actually, he thinks she stunning everyday.

“I can see that.” A dainty chuckle escapes her lips and closes the book in her hand. “Are you early today?”

“No, dearie, I’m right on schedule.”

“Oh. It must be later than I thought.”

“It must be.” He gimps behind the counter to give her a hand with the organizing. “Let me help you.”

“That’s okay, I’m almost finished.”

“Alright,” he nods.

“If you could just sweep the front before we open, that would be great.”

“Okay.” He heads into the back room behind the register and fetches the broom. Afterwards, he brushes up the dust from the hardwood floor.

Belle hears the bristles of the broom brushing against the floor and she takes a tiny break from her categorizing. She sits up on her knees and peeks over the top of the glass counter to take a gander at her only employee. She watches him in secret and admires the sunlight gleaming on his locks. His shoulder length hair looks so shiny and smooth with the sun’s rays kissing it. Highlighting all the silvery strands. She imagines how amazing it would feel to glide her fingers through his silky threads. Must be heaven.

“Miss French?” He turns towards the bookcase and she immediately crouches down against the glass.

“Yes?”, she answers, heart thumping in her chest. Did he see her?

“Do you still need that old grandfather clock repaired or did you get it working?”

Oh, thank goodness, he didn’t see a thing. “Umm… Yes, I do. I was never able to figure it out.” Places her right hand over her pounding heart and breathes out. The last thing she needs is for him to catch her spying.

“Alright. If you don’t mind, I can take a look at it after I’m finished with the floor.”

“No. I don’t mind.” She rushes placing the books back on the shelf. Trying to make enough ruckus as if she never stopped working.

Alasdair continues sweeping the floor. He grazing the broom across the baseboard of the counter and stops in his tracks. Taking a glimpse at Belle sitting just behind the glass. He can’t see her face. Only the back of her head with her hair flowing down to the middle of her back, and all he can wonder is how it smells. He’s taken whiffs of her perfume everyday since she’s taken over the shop. But now, all he can imagine is her hair having a different scent. He yearns to dip his nose into her rich thick curls and take in slow deep breaths.

Alasdiar’s eyes are fixed on Belle. He can’t take them off of her even if he truly wanted to. And though he only has a back view of her sitting on the floor slamming books on the shelf, Alasdair imagines that her face is lite with a smile and that there are thoughts of him running though her mind. He wants to be the one that makes her happy.

“Alasdair?” She places the last book on the shelf.

Holy hell! He glides away from the counter. Did she sense him watching? “Yes, Miss French?” Immediately sweeps together the two dust piles he accumulated.

“You can change the closed sign to open now.”

He breathes a sigh of relief. She didn’t suspect a thing. He has no clue what she’d do if she ever caught him taking a glimpse at her. Alasdair calms himself from his little jolt of distress. “Alright,” says, feeling more composed with himself. Even though he doesn’t think composer will be his strong suit the rest of the day. He uses the broom to support his weight and hobbles to change the sign on the front window.

“Thank you so much.” She stands from the floor, readjusting the skirt of her dress.

“You’re welcome.” He cleans up the dust from the floor and returns the broom to the back.

##  ********

Alasdair Gold and Belle French are smitten with each other. But neither have had the courage to tell the other. They spend their days working  as professionals. Stumbling around each other in an awkward dance and hiding the desires they feel for the other.

_*Dong, dong, dong*_

Belle enters the back room of the shop the moment she heard the old clock ringing. “You fixed it?”, she asks, eyes sparkling with fascination.

“Yes.” Alasdair closes the key lock door and turns to Belle. “It wasn’t much just a few gear and spring replacements.”

“Oh… I don’t know how I missed that.” She steps closer to the clock and rubs her hand across the smooth solid wood. “My father would be thrilled to know that it’s working again. He didn’t think I’d be able to sell it without the chime.”

“Well, I’m happy I could help.” Making her pleased is something that he genuinely wants in his life.

“You always help and I immensely appreciate it,” she smiles. Ever since she took over the family business a couple years ago, Alasdair has made Belle’s life running the business a lot easier.

“Thank you, Belle.” His cheeks bloom a soft pink tinge. He usually hides his blush, but today she’s standing right before him.

Their eyes meet with each other and time feels as if it’s frozen between them. Universal alignment.

_*ring*_

When the tiny bell hanging above the shops entrance rattles, Alasdair jumps out of his daze. “I’ve got it, Miss French,” hastily makes his leave from the back room. Whatever sparked him to reflect at her in that manner wasn’t supposed to happen. Now she must think he’s a creep for staring. “Welcome,” he greets the customer and assists him in his sale.  

Belle stands in the doorway of the back room. She leans against the threshold and observes Alasdair servicing the customer.  _“Quite the salesman,”_  she ponders. He possesses a skill for sales that’s far superior than her own and she adores watching him work. Learning a thing or two in the process.

Several moments pass by as the customer browse the shop and he finally finds the perfect items.

Alasdair checks out the man and rings up the two silver dragon goblets he wants as gifts.

Belle steps away from the threshold and stands by Alasdair to help him wrap the goblets in newspaper.

The man pays and exits the shop with a smile. Pleased with his buy.

Now the two love stricken antique dealers are alone once again to continue their work.

Alasdair clears his throat and turns away from the register. The situation between him and Miss French seem to be more awkward than usual. He almost jumped out of his skin when she stood next to him. That reaction doesn’t usually happen when she’s so close. His attraction to her must be growing stronger.

“Are you alright, Alasdair?”, she asks with concern. “You’re looking a little pail.”

“Yes…” He manages to strangle out from the back of his throat and picks up a dry cloth from the floor. Trying to do anything to distract himself from choking on his words. He still has five more hours with her and they’ll most likely be alone the entire time. What the hell is he gonna do?

“Alright. I was just making sure,” she replies.

“Yes yes, dearie, I’m fine,” he lies. Alasdair is fighting off the extreme urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her passionately. Just like in one of those sickeningly romantic movies. She may slap him if he ever touched her that way. He’s almost twenty years older than she. Why would she want his hands all over her? Oh God, he needs to get away from her before he says something he’ll regret. Today is not his day for discretion. “Miss French?” He turns back and faces her, gripping solidly to the handle of his cane. His palm is so warm and sweaty, surprised that his whole body isn’t drenched in the stuff. “Would you mind if I took an early lunch?”

Belle adverts her eyes to the cuckoo clock behind him. It’s his usual lunch time. “Yes, you can go.” She tries not to make it obvious that she can sense something’s wrong with him. Maybe he’ll come back from this break more like himself.

“Thank you, Miss French.” He hobbles towards the door, can’t get to it fast enough. “Would you like me to bring you something back?”

“No, that’s okay. I brought my lunch today.”

“Alright,” he timidly grins. “I’ll see you in half an hour.” Opens the glass door and shuffles out of the shop, desperate not to appear too eager getting away.

##  ********

It’s now closing time at the pawn shop. Belle and Alasdair have managed to avoid their feeling toward each other for another full day. Alasdair returned from his lunch break in more control of himself. He was able to go home and purge out his fantasies in that thirty minute time frame. Completing the day with minimal awkward moments between them.

Things weren’t perfect, but they could have been worst. He could have blurted out his feeling like an imbecile and most likely gotten himself fired. Little does he know, she wouldn’t have fired him at all. Everything seemed to work out for them for the day. Now they can part ways without anymore awkwardness between them for the entire weekend.

“How are you spending your evening, Alasdair?” Belle asks, swinging her thin black jacket around her shoulders. It still gets a bit chilly at night.

“Oh… Umm… Well…” He locks the cash register and hands her the keys. “It's… Err… It’s a bit silly.”

“Now I’m more intrigued to know what you would be doing that’s silly.”

“Umm…” He’s embarrassed to say it, but he wants her to know. He wants her to know that’s he’s not just a little man that sits at home all the time and that he does have a life outside of work. “I’m going out with a couple of friends.”

“Well that’s not silly at all.”

“It is when you know it’s going to end with them trying to find you a date.” Shit! Slip of tongue. Now he desperately needs to get out of the shop. He didn’t want her to know that much.

“Oh?… I didn’t know you were looking.”

“I’m not,” he huffs and hobbles to the front door.

“I understand how strange that feels.” She switches off the light in the back room and the ones for the store front. “I’ve had friends do that to me in the past.”

“It can be quite embarrassing.”

“Yes, it can,” she replies, as she meets him by the entrance. “I’m meeting up with friends tonight too.”

“Oh… Really?”

“Yeah. They’re coming over to my place. We’re going to watch a movie or something,” she shrugs.

“Can’t really tell what will happen when girls get together,” he chuckles anxiously. Regretting every word of the sentence he just spoke.

“Exactly,” she agrees with a smile stretching across her face. His little skittish laugh was adorable.  

Silence falls between them as they stand under the only light lit in the entire shop. It appears as though they’re standing in a spotlight on a stage. Alasdair finds himself lost in her ocean blues for the second time today.

Belle is in the same predicament, gazing longingly in his deep chocolate eyes. Her heart instantaneously warms and melts to the sight.

_*Dong, dong, dong*_

The old grandfather clock chimes, briskly breaking up their impassioned connection.

“I should be going,” he gruffs, turning his gaze away from her.

“Yes, me too,” she agrees, straightaway.

He opens the door for her and offers her to go ahead of him.

She politely accepts and steps out before him. Belle then locks the door to her family’s shop and shake Alasdair’s hand. Congratulating him for them completing another week of work together.

“Goodnight, Miss French,” he nods.  

“Goodnight, Mr. Gold.”

They part their separate ways.

Alasdair walks to his apartment on the second floor of the Storybrooke Library.

Belle drives herself home to her pink Victorian manor.

 

##  _Part Two: The Bar And The Gathering_

The Rabbit Hole Bar isn’t the kind of establishment Alasdair Gold likes to find himself. But it’s the only place his friends could agree upon meeting tonight.  

“You’re late,” David Nolan gripes, slamming down his mug of beer on the table.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Dr. Archibald Hopper takes a seat at the table where David and Alasdair resides. “There are some patients you just can’t get away from.”

Alasdair shrugs as David takes another drink from his beer. It’s just another scenario that they can’t relate to with the good doctor but they admire him anyways.

“So how was everyone’s week?” Archibald asks. Striking up the conversation among his friends.

“Busy for me,” David answers. “Between being a father and the sheriff, I almost have no time to relax. So it’s good for me to get out like this.”

Archibald nods, “How is the little one?”, he asks.

“Growing like a weed,” David laughs, filling his mug with more beer. “It’s an amazing thing though. Being a father.”

Alasdair remains quite, keeping his thoughts of fatherhood to himself. He knows it’s an incredible experience in life, but for him, it’s been a heartbreaking one.

“And what about you, Alasdair?” Archibald asks.

“What?” Alasdair flinches out of his deep thoughts.

“Your week, how was your week?”

“Oh, well, it was alright.” Alasdair grips his right hand around the cold beer mug and takes a drink. “It was just fine, I guess,” he shrugs, resting the mug back on the table. “Just worked is all.”

“You’re still working with the girl that used to volunteer at library, right?” David questions, as if he didn’t know the answer.

Alasdair arches a brow. “She used to work at the library?” He had no idea she worked right under his apartment. How did he miss that?

“Yes,” David nods. “Mary-Margaret used to drag me there everyday when we first found out she was pregnant. Belle would be there on Fridays. You live above the place, I’m surprised you didn’t notice.”

“I bet had he’d known, he would have been in the library all day on Fridays,” Archibald chuckles.  

“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Alasdair has a feeling where the conversation is going.

“Come on. You know what it means. You’re always going on about her,” David states.

“I don’t always go on about her,” Alasdair protests. He can’t believe where this conversation ended, but it always seems to go in this direction.

(Why is he so surprised?)

“Now that’s a big fat lie,” Archibald chimes in.

Alasdair told Belle that his friends are always trying to hook him up with someone. But he didn’t admit that the person they’re trying to get him with was her.

“Just last week you were telling me about how she bought you lunch.” David refreshes Alasdair’s memory. “I could have swore you were talking like you two went out on a date or something. Then you went on about the book she told you she was reading. I swear, man, you need to really ask that girl out on a date,” David remarks and continues to add. “Beating around the bush isn’t going to get you anywhere.”

 _“Do I really talk about her a lot?”_  Alasdair thought. If he has, then he hasn’t noticed.

“What’s the worse that could happen,” Archibald shrugs.

“I could lose my job,” Alasdair answers. “She is my boss.”

“You won’t lose your job. I don’t see her getting that upset about it.” David refills the mugs on the table.

“What if she turns me down? Things would just get stranger between us since she’ll know that I like her. Everything is already awkward enough,” Alasdair says in his defense. “Someone like her wouldn’t want to be seen dead with someone like me.”

“Now why would you go and say a thing like that?” David leans over the table and taps Alasdair lightly on the cheek, then retakes his seat. “You’re a handsome fellow. I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t agree.”

“Thanks for that.” Alasdair rolls his eyes, taking another drink from his mug. He could think of a million reasons why she wouldn’t agree.

“I don’t think your looks or your age are good enough reasons to stop you from asking her. And I know that’s what you’re thinking,” David say. He truly wants to encourage his friend into stepping up and asking out the girl he’s obviously in love with. “They’re just excuses you keep telling yourself. You’re never going to be satisfied until you ask her and you never know, she might like you just as much as you like her.”

Alasdair sighs and takes a moment to think. His friends aren’t wrong and he does get a sense that things might go well for him if he asks. “Will you two leave me alone so we can talk about something else. If I promise to ask her out Monday?”

“Yes,” David and Archibald answer in unison.

“Fine. I will,” he divulges.

“This is good news.” Archibald lifts his mug and straightens the glasses on his face. “You’re not going to regret it.” Takes a drink of beer.

“Ugh,” Alasdair rasps his right hand through his hair. He’s already regretting it.

##  ********

Across town and behind the walls of the pink Victorian manor, Belle French is having a gathering with a few of her friends. She sits on the living room couch with Regina and Ruby at her side. They eat popcorn while engage in a movie together.

“Gees, Belle,” Ruby sighs out. “Watching this movie, I swear we’ve seen this before, but…”

“I don’t remember ever seeing this movie,” Belle interrupts her.

“Yeah I know, you’ve said that already. Maybe I watched it on my own?”, she comments. “Anyways… What I was going to say is that your life is just like one of these rom-com movies.”

“What?” Belle gawks at Ruby, puzzled. Her life is the furthest thing from a movie. “No it isn’t.”

“Yes. It is,” she insists. “You have this huge beautiful house. The perfect relationship with your father. The perfect job. All that’s missing is the male lead.”

“The relationship with my father hasn’t always been perfect,” Belle protests.

“Yeah. I know that, but it is now.”

Regina makes her presence know, out of the blue, by laughing.

“What’s so hilarious?” Belle asks, crossing her arms.

“Ruby is positively right. I’ve never thought about it, but it’s true.” Regina belts out with another open mouthed laugh. “I… I swear,” she takes a breath, wiping away tears. “I know there’s a movie, somewhere out there, with the summary of your life on it.”

“What?” Belle shrieks. “Is that a bad thing?”

“No no, sweetie, it’s just funny. That’s all,” Ruby reassures her. “Besides it isn’t completely a rom-com movie. You don’t have a leading male.”

“Oh yes she does,” Regina chimes in.

“And who would that be?” Belle asks, hoping that she isn’t going to say who she thinks.

“The guy you work with.” Regina answers smugly.

Shit! She said it.

“Remember a few weeks ago when I came into the shop?”, she adds. “There were all sorts of sparks and fireworks going off between you two. But you guys kept trying to hide it. It was the most comical display of denial I have ever seen.”

Belle’s eyes widen and turns her head towards Regina. “Sparks? Between both of us?”

“Yes,” Regina nods and takes the bowl of popcorn out of Belle’s lap. “He was bit by the same bug that bit you. I saw the way both of you kept flashing those stupid doe eyes at each other.” She eats a fist full of popcorn. “It almost made me sick,” says with a stuffed mouth.

“You really think he likes me too?” Belle can’t believe she hadn’t really noticed. Maybe she has and couldn’t genuinely see it.

“I’m telling you that he does.” Regina crosses her legs in the couch.

“You should ask him out, Belle,” Ruby comments.

“You know.” Belle tilts her head to the right, thinking of her past interactions with Alasdair Gold. “I have noticed the way he looks at me sometimes. Like he wants to ask me something.”

“I don’t see how you two can work so close together and pretend that you don’t like each other.” Regina rest the bowl of popcorn back in Belle’s lap. “Must get awkward and draining.”

“It does get awkward,” Belle replies. “He was acting a bit strange today. Said he wanted to take an early lunch break, when it was already time for lunch.”

“He probably couldn’t take being around you anymore without saying something stupid. Even though he already did.” Ruby states. “He’s really diggin’ on you, Belle, and you dig him too. It’s time to stop dancing around each other.”

“Huh,” she huffs. “You’re right.” It seems as though Belle just had a revelation. “I’m going to ask him out on Monday.”

“Good.” Regina picks up the remote from the coffee table and turns up the volume on the TV. “Can we finish this crappy movie now?”  

  

##  _Part Three: The Ask_

Monday afternoon, business at the shop proceeds in its normal pace. Customers come in and out throughout the day. Belle and Alasdair continue their strange dance around each other with an extra thick cloud of nervousness hovering around the antique shop.

“Oh!” Belle squeaks as she bumps into Alasdair for the second time today. The first time was when they crashed heads as they each reached for a paper bag. Now, they collide once again as Belle is exiting the back room. The shop is a large enough space, they shouldn’t be smashing into each other this way. It seems as though there are powerful magnets pulling them together.

“My apologies, Miss French.” He quickly steps out of her way, reflecting back with concern. “Are you alright?” Why does he have to be such a blockhead on the day he has the courage to ask her out?

“Yes, I’m fine.” She straightens her hair, steps out of the back room and stands by the register. Mentally preparing herself for what she’s about to do.

Alasdair limps on his cane to the other side of the counter and stands before Belle with the cash register between them. With the shop being empty, he thinks now is the perfect time to ask her. At least they’ll be no witnesses for when he dies from embarrassment.

“Alasdair.”

“Miss French.”

They speak each other’s name in the same instant and skittishly chuckle to themselves. Brushing their hands through their hair.

This is beginning to look like an interesting scenario.

“How was your weekend?”, they both ask in unison, cheeks blushing fuchsia.

Can this situation get any more uneasy?

“I’m so sorry,” Belle finally says on her own. “You go first.”

He glances down at his hand gripping onto the cane and lifts his head back to her. The whole of his body is rippling with panic. “How was your weekend?”, his voice wobbles, just a touch, but he manages to keep it clear.

“I had a nice weekend. I stayed at home, cleaned a bit, and I got a little closer to the end of my book,” she answers calmly. Perfectly masking her true feelings of fright. It’s been years since she’s asked a man out on a date.

“What are you reading again?”, he asks as if he doesn’t remember. Alasdair never forgot.

“The Bronze Horsemen.”

“Oh yes, that’s the one. Is it a good read?”

“Yes it is,” she nods.

A silence sweeps across the antique shop, as Belle and Alasdair beam at each other. Words tingle at the tip of their tongues and they urgently need to let them out. “I would like to ask you something,” they blurt out the same words once again and their eyes grow wide with shock.

“Why do we keep doing that?”, she questions, a little flustered.

“I don’t know. It’s strange, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is,” she agrees.

“Look, Miss French,” he takes hold of the reins on this situation. Things can’t keep happening this way. They’re both adults after all. He leans his cane against the glass counter and rests his hands on top. “I have something to ask you and you have something to ask me.” He’s going to use this moment to buy himself a little more time. Hell, why should he have to spill his guts first. “I just think that’s it’s only fair that you say what’s on your mind first.”

“What?”, she shrills. This is inconceivable. She wanted to know what he had to say first. “What makes it fair that I go?”

He thought for sure that would work. Fuck. “I don’t know,” shrugs and folds his fidgety hands, keeping her from seeming them shake.

Though he’s trying hard to hide it, she can see the emotion written all over him. “I know what it is. You’re afraid to ask me just like I’m afraid to ask you.”

“Well, yes,” he places his right hand over her left and his jitters melts away then he touches her. “I’m afraid you might not feel the same way as me.” Notices that her eyes have fallen down to their hands. “I’m so sorry, Miss French.” Takes his hand away. What the hell was he just thinking? He shouldn’t have touch her. Now the whole thing is ruined.

“No. No, don’t be sorry.” She reaches back for him.

What? His entire body freezes to her embracing touch. “You… You didn’t mind?” 

“No,” she smiles brightly. Belle has always wanted to hold his hand and it’s just as smooth and soft as she imagined it would be.

Alasdair gazes at her angelic face. Her features are so gorgeous, but the look her face expresses are just as confused and anxious as he’s own. Whatever she has to ask him must be important to her as well. He enormously wants to hear her question, but he needs to get his off his chest. Can’t hold it in any longer.

Alasdair has prepared himself all weekend for her possible rejection. Might as well get it over with now. “I want…” Pauses, taking a ruffled breath. “I want to ask you if you’d like to go out with me on Saturday night?”, he gulps, eventually. It’s finally all out on the table. That single sentence has made him feel more exposed than if he was standing naked before a crowd. He rather be standing naked than to ask her that again.

Belle blinks, mentally processing his question. “Like a-a date?” Now she understands why things felt on edge between them.

“Yes, Miss French,” he speaks more confidently. He’s looking forward to her answer. But also afraid that this will end up with them pretending none of this ever happened. He feels as though he’ll probably quit his job a few days after this horrible let down. He’ll end up laying on the floor of his apartment and allow his body to shrivel up and die.

“Now I know why we were both afraid.” Squeezes his hand. “We were about to ask each other the same question.”

“Wait… What?…” It’s like someone just pick him up and threw him against a brick wall. This is unbelievable. “You were gonna ask me out too?”, he asks, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Mmhmm,” she nods, glowing radiantly.

He beams into her shimmering eyes, feeling himself getting lost in their glimmer. Is this how she looks when he makes her happy? Breathtaking. “Oh, Belle,” he groans out thickly. Never imagined the moment to end up like this.

She giggles, lacing her fingers between his. “You know, you never really call me that.”

“I know.”

“It’s nice to hear you say my name.”

“Miss French is your name too.”

“It is, but you know that I mean.”

“Yes, Belle, I do.”

Her spine tingles when her name escapes his lips again. His Scottish brogue is beautiful.

He takes her hand, holding both of them at the same time.

Belle nibbles on her bottom lip, relishing in the knowledge that he feels the same about her. “You were really gazing at me all those times. Weren’t you? You wanted to have a chance to get to know me better.”

“Yes, Belle,” he confesses.

“I would wonder what your eyes were always trying to say to me.”

“Now you know.” A timid smile stretches upon his face and his mouth spits out the first sentence that comes to mind. “I think I want to kiss you.” Licks his lips and catches onto what he just said. Confessing his yearning to kiss her was a little too much. Shit. “Oh… Belle… I…” He can feel the sweat accumulation on his brow.

“I think I want to kiss you too.” she reveals.

Oh thank goodness. He’s relieved to know that she feels the same.

“But we’ll have to save that kiss for our first date. If it happens,” she adds. “The kiss, not the date,” quickly corrects herself. She didn’t mean to sound as if they weren’t going out. Now she sees what Regina meant when she said that seeing them together was a comical display. She keeps catching herself stumbling all over her words. She must have done this when Regina saw them together. “The date is definitely happening,” she makes her statement more clear. 

“I understand what you meant,” he assured her. She’s just as much of a fidgety wreck around him as he is around her. He finds that kinda comforting. “I can wait for the kiss, but I can’t wait for the date.”

She giggles, blushing brighter than before. He seems to have the power to make her feel at ease. “You’re going to have to try to wait. We still have the week to get through.”

“I know.”

“We should probably get back to work.” She could happily stand at the front counter holding his hands the rest of the day. But that’s not how running a business works. “I think those are customers about to step inside.”

He nods and let’s go of her hands. “Yes, Miss French.”

All the anxiety that once clouded the shop has withered away. And now Alasdair and Belle can finish off their work week. Content with the knowledge that they’ll be spending a night together. 

  

##  _Part Four: Under The Stars In The Middle Of The Forest_

Saturday, Alasdair spends the day preparing for his first date with Belle French. He searches for the perfect area in the woods to take his date for a picnic under the luminescent stars. He also makes a stop at the florist to arrange a petite lily bouquet just for her. Alasdair knows red rose are the symbols for romance and passion. Lilies are Belle’s favorites which is why he gets them instead. He overheard her telling a customer how much she loved them just a few weeks ago.

Now Alasdair stands, shirtless, over the bathroom sink of his apartment. He shaves his stubbled face and talks to David Nolan through the speaker setting of his phone. He’s talks to his friend to see if he can borrow his pickup truck for tonight. 

“Why do you need to use my truck. You have your own car,” David says on the speaker. 

“I want to make the date romantic for her tonight,” Alasdair replies. Double checking the smoothness of his shave in the mirror. 

“I don’t think a truck is romantic.” 

“It can be. You just have to make it so.” 

“What do you mean by that?”

Alasdair rinses off the rest of the shaving cream from his face and wipes it dry with a plush towel. “You’ll see when you come over to drop off the truck.” Hangs the towel back on the rack. “I’m going to need your help with something.” 

“But I never agreed to you using my truck.” 

“No, but I have a feeling you won’t say no.” He picks up his phone and cane from the toilet seat and exits the bathroom. 

“And what gave you the feeling that I wont say no?”

“You want Belle and I to have a good time.” He opens the closet door in the bedroom and shifts through his array of lush suits. Searching for the perfect one. 

“Well that’s true… Okay, you can use it tonight.” 

“Thanks, dearie.” Pulls out a black pinstriped suit with red shirt and black tie. An outfit he’s knows he’s never had a chance to wear. “I’m picking her up at eight. So you need to be here by seven.”

##  ********

Alasdair Gold pulls up to Belle’s home in David’s truck. He checks himself in the rear-view mirror and makes sure every silvery strand of hair is in its place. Then steps out from the truck and makes his way to the house. 

He grows more anxious the closer he gets to the home. His tense hand wants to clinch tightly around the small flower bouquet and crush them. He desperately keeps himself from ruining the stems. 

Alasdair runs through a list in his mind to make sure he didn’t forget anything. Mentally crossing off items with each step he takes. He planned this night all day and doesn’t want anything to wreck it. 

He makes it to the manor and stands under the bright light on the large porch. Gazes at his reflection in the window of the alder wood door and continues to run through the list in his head. For the millionth time. Alasdair stands with fright, second guessing if this date is the right thing to do. He hasn’t been on one in years. 

He takes a deep breath and breathes out heavily. Slowly lifts his fidgety right hand to press the doorbell. 

_*Ring, ring*_

Shit! He did it. There’s no turning back now. 

Belle opens the door almost instantly. She wears a flirty black velvet affair with a crimson flower on the halter strap and a red buckled belt around the waist. Adding more splashes of color to the ensemble. She was reading in the living room waiting for him to arrive and he’s precisely on time. Eight o'clock on the dot. Not a minute more or less. “Hey,” she smiles.

“Hey,” he hands her the bouquet of multi colored lilies. “I know roses are normally used, but I heard that lilies are you favorite.” 

“You heard correctly,” she gently takes the flowers. “Thank you so much. They’re gorgeous.” She’s surprised by the scent of the flowers. Natural lilies don’t carry much of a floral fragrance. These must be hybrids. 

“Your welcome, my dear.” 

“I have something for you too.”

His brow arches and a small smile lights upon his face. “You do?”

“Yes,” she steps behind the door and picks up the single long stemmed red rose. She got just for him.

“Oh… Thank you, Belle,” he says as he retrieves the flower from her. He breathes in the fresh rose perfume and feels the satiny petals tickle the tip of his nose. “It’s really beautiful, thank you. I didn’t expect anything.” 

“You’re most welcome.” She thought the expression on his face when she presented him the rose was simply adorable. He’s never looked that way during work. “I’m going to place my flowers into some water and we can go.”

“Alright. Take your time.” 

“Would you like to come in?”, she offers. 

“That’s okay. I can wait for you out here. It’s a nice night.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, dearie. You go put your flowers in some water.”

“Okay. I’ll be quick.” She shuffles to the kitchen, leaving the front door open. 

Alasdair peeks into her house for a moment and the living room is grand. It’s almost as large as his whole apartment. The entire house seems to be furnished with priceless antiques. “Beautiful,” he whispers and turns away from the open door. He stands at the head of the porch and waits patiently for Belle. 

“You were right. It is a beautiful night,” she says, stepping out from the door. 

He turns to her and she’s holding a pair of scissors. An odd item to be walking out on a first date with. “What are those for?” 

“They’re for your rose. I found a pin while I was looking for my flower vase and I thought you should wear your rose tonight.” She takes a step towards him. “If you don’t mind. Of course.” 

“No. I don’t mind.” He hands her back the rose and she clips the long stem. 

“Is it okay if I attach it?”

He nods, answering yes. 

She slips the pin into the lapel of his suit jacket, weaves the cut stem through and attaches the rose securely. She then takes a step back and looks over her date. Handsome. “You know what?”

“What?” He smiles. 

“The color of our outfits match. Even the addition of your flower matches the one on my dress.”

“Indeed it does,” he snickers. “Now how did that happen?” 

“I don’t know. But it didn’t cross my mind until after I pinned on your rose.”

“Well, whatever made this happen, I don’t mind it.”

“Neither do I.” She straightens the rose on his lapel and rest the pair of scissors on the outdoor glass table. 

“Thank you, Belle.” 

“You’re welcome.”

He offers her his arm to escort her down to the truck. “Are you ready to go?” 

“Yes, but where are we going?”

“If you don’t mind. I’d like to keep it a surprise.”

“No, I don’t mind.” She quickly closes the front door and pulls the house keys out of the pocket of her dress. Locks the door and turns back to her date, hooking her arm with his. “I’m excited about tonight.”

“You are?” With the support of his cane, he leads her down the steps. 

“Yes. You’ve only been here five minutes and I’m already having fun. This doesn’t feel like it does when were together at that shop. I thought it would, but it doesn’t.” 

“I’m happy that it doesn’t, Belle.” He opens the passenger’s door for her 

“I am too.” She steps inside and pulls in the skirt of her dress so that it isn’t caught in the door. 

Alasdair closes the door, hobbles to the opposite side and takes his seat at the wheel. He starts the ignition and drives them to their next destination.

##  ********

Alasdair Gold stops the truck at Granny’s Diner. Belle is a little surprised by their location. She didn’t think they’ll be dining in the place that’s just a few blocks away from the shop. “Alasdair? You brought me here?”, she questions. 

He puts the truck in park, but leaves the engine running. “Not particularly.” Unlocks his door. “If you don’t mind waiting here, I have something I need to get from inside.”

She stares back at him, puzzled. 

“You can come with me if you like.”

“No,” she instantly replies. “If it’s just an in and out thing, then I’m alright staying here.”

“It is, I promise. I called an order for us earlier.”

“Oh, okay.”

“I’ll be back.” He steps out of the truck, closes the door, and heads into the dinner. 

Belle sighs and checks her hair and makeup in the rear-view mirror. Wondering what he’ll be bring out from the restaurant and where they’ll be going next. 

It doesn’t take long for Alasdair to return. He was only inside a little over a minute. “I’m sorry about that.” He rest a paper sack between them. It reeks of the aroma of freshly cooked food. 

“That’s alright,” she smiles, recognizing the familiar scent kissing her nose. She thinks it might be her favorite item on the Granny’s Diner menu. “Now I’m even more curious to know where we’re going.”

“Well, it isn’t far.” He puts the truck in drive. “We’ll be there soon.”

##  ********

As Alasdair drives a few miles out into the woods, he and Belle engage in a bit a small talk. Much like they have many times at work. They discuss the beauty of Storybrooke at night and listen to the music from Belle’s favorite radio station. 

Alasdair pulls the truck onto a dirt road that leads to a clearing in the thick forest and makes his stop at the location he found earlier in the day. “We’re finally here,” he says as he turns off the engine. But he leaves the headlights on so they can have just a touch of light tonight. 

“We are?”, she asks. Unsure of why he brought her to the middle of the woods.

“Yes,” he nods. “I thought I’d take you stargazing tonight.” 

“Stargazing?”

“Yes, I brought my telescope and I found this area in the woods earlier. It seemed like the perfect spot. There’s a large opening through the trees and we can see the whole sky.” 

She looks back at him with a bit of shock on her face. 

He doesn’t think the expression that she sports appears to be a good one. Was this the wrong idea for a first date? “You don’t like it?”, he asks, disappointed in himself. If he could kick himself right now, he would.

“Oh… No… I do…” She blinks. “I just… Just wasn’t expecting this. I’m surprised that’s all.”

“Is that a good thing?” 

“Yes, it is,” she assures him. “I love stargazing.” 

“So do I.” A smile returns to his face as he takes hold of the paper bag. He thought they would have to turn back and head home. “I’ll help you out.” Alasdair opens his door.

She nods with a grin. 

He hobbles to the passenger’s side and opens the door for Belle. 

“Thank you,” she steps out, gazing up at the clear night sky. The stars are extremely bright in this area, being so far from the lights of town, and the moon is full resting high in the sky. Belle has never seen such a perfect night for a stargazing date. “This is an amazing location. Beautiful.”

“I was hoping you’d love it,” he closes her door. 

“I do.”

“Would you mind holding this for me?” He offers her the paper sack. 

“Of course not,” gently takes it and watches him limp to the back of the truck. 

Alasdair pulls off the black tarp from the top of the truck bed and reveals a mattress underneath. The lavish mattress is covered with dozens of feathery soft pillows and made up with a posh crimson comforter. And on top, the telescope lays in the middle of the bed. 

Belle eyes widen with awe. She’s never seen the back of a truck bed look so inviting. “You did this?” She covers her toothy grin with her left hand and giggles into the palm. 

“Yes, but I had a friend’s help.” 

“This is incredible.” She joins him at the back of the truck, taking a closer look at the bed. “And here I thought we’d be sitting on the ground.”

“Not tonight, my dear.” He returns to the driver’s side, balls up the black tarp, and shoves it into window. Afterwards he gimps on his cane to the back of the truck. “I’ll take that from you.” Grabs the bag gingerly from her hand and opens the hatch door of the truck. Behind the hatch, there’s a wooden crate with a bucket of ice and a bottle of wine. He removes the bucket and rests the wooden crate upside down on the grassy forest floor. 

“This really is amazing. You thought of everything.” She can’t stop smiling.

“Not everything. I forgot the wine glasses so I picked up some to-go cups at Granny’s” 

“Well that’s okay. At least you got some cups.” 

He gazes down shyly for a moment with blooming cheeks and lifts his head back to her. Even outside of work, she’s still the sweetest woman. “After you.” Rests the paper bag next to the ice bucket and offers her his hand. 

“Thank you.” She takes his hand, steps on the crate and into the back of the truck. She turns around and looks down at Alasdair. “Now let me help you up.” 

“Thank you, Belle.” Hands her his cane and she drops it on the top of the bed next to the telescope. He takes both of her hands and steps up on the crate with his lift foot first. He doesn’t want to put his full weight on his weak right ankle. 

“I’ve got you,” she says, as he carefully makes his way onto the truck, but loses he balance and he almost slips. Belle quickly pulls him inside and wraps her arms around him, pressing him against her body. “Are you alright?”, she speaks softly in the shell of his ear. 

“Yes, I’m alright.” He unwraps his arm from around her and glimpse into her eyes. He’s always wanted to be this close to her. Always wondered how it would feel to be in her arms and the sensation is how he always thought it would be. Heaven. “Thank you, Belle.”

“You're welcome.” She gently strokes away the hair that fell in his face. “You sit first and I’ll bring our things.” She doesn’t want another close call of him falling. She might not be able to catch him a second time. 

“Okay, Belle.” He kicks off his shoes and climbs into the bed. 

Once Alasdair is comfortable in his place, Belle takes off her red strappy heels. She grabs hold of the ice bucket, then the paper bag, and walks over the mattress to take her place next him. “It’s just as soft as it looks.” She bounces lightly on the springy mattress. 

“Belle?”, he cries. Her playfully hopping took him completely by surprise. 

“I’m sorry,” she giggles. “I couldn’t help myself.” 

“That’s okay, Belle. I liked it,” he admits. 

“Good,” she smiles and hands him each of the items. She then holds down the back of her shirt and takes her seat. “It really is cozy back here.” she shifts between pillows getting more comfortable.

“Yes, it is,” he agrees and suddenly he feels at a loss for words. They’re finally here together. Alone and under the light of the stars just as he planned, but he never planned their conversation. He doesn’t really know what to say at this point.

Silence falls between them as they both glance up at the stars and the forest trees around them. Neither of them have a clue on what they’re doing. 

“Err… Would you like to eat first or observe the stars through the telescope?” Alasdair breaks the silence. 

“Umm… How about we do both.”

“Alright.” He unpacks the to-go cups from the bag and they fumble from his anxious grip. “I’m sorry, Belle,” quickly retrieves the cups from her lap. “I’m so sorry.” 

“It’s alright,” she gives him a reassuring grin. She thinks he’s adorable all clumsy with nerves. “They were only empty cups,” she adds.

“Yes, luckily enough they were empty. I don’t want to ruin your pretty dress.”

“You think my dress is pretty?” She fluffs her skirt. 

A hint of her perfume kisses his nose when she adjust her dress. Is she flirting with him already? “It’s not the only thing I think is pretty,” he replies with a flirty comment of his own. 

Belle beams shyly, curling her finger around her hair, and watches him pull out their picnic of Granny’s famous cheeseburger with curly fries from the paper bag. 

Alasdair knows that burgers are one of Belle’s favorites. 

“Those look delicious,” she comments as he opens one of the styrofoam containers. “I don’t know how many times I’ve said how much I love burgers,” she chuckles, picking up a warm curly fry. 

“You’ve probably said it a million times, but I’ve heard you say it at least a thousand,” he smirks and pops off the cork from the rich red wine. 

“That’s probably true,” she grins and eats the crispy fry.

He fills the paper cups with wine and hands one to Belle. 

“Thank you, Alasdair.”

“You're welcome.” 

After a few drinks of wine, Alasdair and Belle begin to feel more at ease with each other. They eat their burgers, as they talk about the stars. And to Alasdair’s surprise, Belle has an extensive knowledge of the constellations. She share with him stories of a few lesser known patterns in the sky and shows him their location. 

They enjoy each other’s company, talking about themselves and their lives outside of work. Belle’s mentions the volunteer work she sometimes does on the weekend. She adores the community and loves being an active member of the town. 

Alasdair opens up to her about his life in Scotland and growing up as a sheep herder. He also tell’s her just a bit about the son he lost. He doesn’t reveal too much on this subject, he doesn’t want to bring down the light buzz between them. 

After finishing the bottle of wine (now feeling a bit tipsy) and sharing things about each other they would have never known, Alasdair and Belle sense the night might be going in a more intimate direction. 

“This night has been… An unbelievable one.” Belle scoots a little closer to him. 

He clears his throat. Didn’t think she’d be making a move, but it isn’t unwanted. “You, umm, really think so?”

“Yes,” she takes his hand into her own. “I’ve liked you for a while, Alasdair, and I’ve often wondered if you’d ever have a moment like this.”

“I’ve wondered that too.” He moves closer to her as well and now they sit in the bed as close as two can be. “And I’m glad we both took a chance to go out together. At first I was starting to think this might be a mistake, but now I know it wasn’t.”

“It wasn’t. Agreeing to go out with you was the best decision I’ve made in a long time,” she snickers.

Alasdair’s brow arches, astonished by her words. Going out with him was one of the best decision she’s made? Amazing. Everything seems as though it was all meant to be. 

He softly grazes his right hand across her cheek, touching her silky skin for the first time. “May I kiss you, Belle?”, he whispers. Holding back this yearning is becoming too great.

Her cheeks blooms, lowering her head, and she giggles lightly to herself. She peers back up at him, licking her lips. She’s been longing to taste his all night. “Yes,” she answers in a smooth honeyed voice. “You can kiss me.”

He cups her cheek, as he slowly leans into her and she tilts into him. Their warm lips connect for the first time and they breath in deeply. The taste of each other is what they’ve both craved. 

“Mmmm…” she hums, sensing an electric charge pulsing through her body.

He gently breaks away from her lips, rest his forehead against hers, and they both giggle. Feeling euphoric from their first intimate connection. “That was…” He licks his lips, savoring the rest of the flavor left from hers. “That was better than I imagined.” He strokes her cheek with his hand and rub his nose lightly against hers. 

“It was,” she says with a chuckle in her voice. “I want another. My lips tingled when you touched them.” 

“Really?”

“Yes, Alasdair.” She brushes her fingers through his silver locks. “It was intoxicating,” mummers upon his lips and steals another taste of him. 

“Mmm…” He hums, wrapping his arms around her, drawing her body closer to him. 

She parts her lips to invite his tongue and he takes her up on the offer. 

He slowly slips the tip of his tongue between her lips and breathes in even more of her warm breath. Feeling her energy rushing through him. Having never felt such a strong and instant connection to someone in his life. 

“You're… An… Amazing person… Alasdair,” she speaks between pecks on his lips. “I've… Always… Thought that… About you…”. She inflames the passion in their kiss by pressing her lips against his hungrily and tangles her fingers in his hair. She can’t get enough of him. 

“Oh, Belle,” he moan and peppers a trail of smooches down the side of her warm neck. “I want you, Belle,” murmurs on her flesh and his heart rate rockets. 

“Ah…” she breathes and her head falls back as she closes her eyes. Lost in this fiery moment. 

“I want you, Belle,” he repeats, cupping her right breast above her velvety dress. “Do you want me too?” 

She lays her hand upon his and squeezes his hand around her breast, slowly helping him massage her. “Yes… Yes, Alasdair… I want you too.” 

“Oh, Belle,” he grows. Laying her down into the mattress and alters his position so that he’s above her. Straddling his legs around her. Never removing his lips from her silky skin

She lifts his head from her neck and pulls him back into her lips. It’s been too long since she’s tasted them. Belle kisses him zealously as she slides her hand down his chest. She can feel the shape of his body through the layers of his fine suit. She can’t wait to see him shirtless. Her right hand makes it’s way to the front of his pants and she gently kneads it against him. 

“Uhh,” he grunts when she closes her hand around him, filling it with his manhood. His hips involuntarily buck and his cock twitches to her touch as it gradually starts to swell. 

“It doesn’t take much for you. Does it?” She leers at him seductively, biting her bottom lip, as she massages the growing bulge in his pants. 

“When it comes to you? No.” He steals another taste from her lips. 

“Did you bring a condom with you?”, she asks. 

He gazes into her eyes, breathing deeply from their heavy make-out session. “Yes,” he nods. “I bought one just in case. I didn’t expect anything from you and I want you to know that,” he explains. Gently strokes the chestnut curl from her gorgeous face. “We could have gone home without doing anything and I would have still been happy. I just want you to know that I brought it just in case.” 

“It’s alright, Alasdair.” Kisses his cheek. “I’m glad you did bring it.” 

He smiles, leaning into her for another taste and unhooks the strap from her halter top with his left hand. 

She unbutton his jacket and slowly pulls it down from his shoulders. “I haven’t done this in so long and I’m a little nervous.” 

“You don’t have to be nervous, Belle, but if you want to stop, we can.” 

“I don’t want to stop.” She pulls down the rest of his jacket, as he slips his arms out, and she throws it over the side of the truck. She pulls him back into her and kisses him firmly, as her hands slide down to the small of his back. “Ah… Where’s the condom?”, she questions. 

He sits up on his knees and gazes down at her. “I don’t have it on me. It’s in the truck’s glove compartment.” 

“Now how are we supposed to put it to good use while it’s in there?”, she grins. 

“We can’t.” He consumes her lips again, pulling on her bottom lip as he breaks away. “But I’ll get it, sweetheart.” 

“No… I can get it. It would be quicker and I don’t want you climbing in and out of this truck.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” She turns him into the mattress on his back and roll on top of him. “I'll…” She kisses his lips. Once. Twice. Three times. “I’ll be back,” she whispers and perches herself on his lap. “How about you take off this tie.” Pulls down the double Windsor knot. “And your soft, beautiful, red shirt while I’m gone.”

“Oh… Alright, Belle,” he groans deeply.

She beams back at him with hunger in her eyes. All the nervousness she’s felt before has melted away. “But leave the pants on. I want to be the one to take them off,” her voice oozes sex.

A tingle rushes down his spine when she spoke so sensually and he aches to hear more. Especially, her erotic cries of passion. “Okay,” says breaths out eventually, nodding his head with his eyes still fixed on her. He can’t turn them away.

She climb off of him, crawls to the foot of the truck bed and hops down. Her bare feet land in the soft forest grass. 

As Belle retrieves the condom, Alasdair sits up and removes his tie and shirt. He rest them over the side of the truck and something suddenly lands on his head. He pulls the black garment down from his head and finds that they’re Belle’s silk panties. “Belle?”, he grunts and turns to look into the window of the truck. 

Belle beams back at him, giggling. The expression on his face is priceless and she couldn’t just let this opportunity pass. “I’m coming,” she smirks through the glass and turns away to open the glove compartment. 

Alasdair never thought she’d be this playful, but he loves it. He lifts the moist panties to his nose and takes a deep breath. His body shivers to her feminine scent. “Oh… Belle,” he groans.

“You like that?”, she says, climbing back into the truck bed with the condom between her teeth.

“Yes, Belle,” he takes in another sniff of the undergarment. “Can I keep them?” 

“I don’t know.” She removes the condom from her mouth, resting it on the mattress, and kisses his legs as she crawls over him. “They match the bra I’m wearing.” She sits on his lap. “Don’t you want to see the whole set before you separate them.” Rubs her hand down his smooth hairless chest. He has the body of an older man, but she still thinks he beautiful.

“Yes.” He caresses her thigh from underneath her skirt. 

She removes his hands, places them on her hips and leans into his ear. “Will you unzip me please?”, she whispers and gently take his lobe between her teeth.

He nods, gliding his hands up her back and takes hold of the little black zipper. He easily pulls it down and opens up the back of the dress.

Belle then sits up and draws down the front. Revealing a strapless black bra.

“Can I keep that one too?”, he licks his lips. “Wouldn’t want to separate a pare.”

“You just want to take everything from me.”

“Not everything. Just your undergarments,” he arches a brow with a sly smirk. 

She giggles and begins rolling her hips against him. “I’ll think about it.”

“Uhh… Uhh…” His hands clamp onto her hips. “Good,” he breathes out heavily as the friction in his pants increases. Alasdair’s thick erection aches to be free. “I need to be inside you, Belle.” His eyes roll back in pleasure. 

“You will be.” She kisses his bare chest and grinds her drenched pussy against his lap, dampening the front of his pants. 

This barrier of clothing between them has to go. 

She takes her dress and pulls it over her head, tossing it next to the pieces of his suit. 

Alasdair’s eyes widen as he takes in the sights of her body he’s only imagined seeing. He caresses his hand over the soft mound of neatly trimmed dark curls between her thighs. He always thought she’d be smooth, but he’s content with being wrong. “Ahh… Ahh…” His cock feel as if it’s going to burst from his zipper. “You're… You’re so stunning, Belle,” he manages to force out clearly. Instead of the animalistic grunts he successfully avoided. 

“Thank you, Alasdair.” She halts the rhythm of her hip and unclasps her front fastening bra. Her breasts fall out to their natural position. 

“Oh, Belle,” he kisses her pillowy breast and wraps his lips around her pebbled pink nipple.

“Ahh!”, she moans, holding the back of his head, and her back arches. “Mmm… Mmm…”. She gazes up at the twinkling stars in the sky. While he rolls her sensitive nipple gently between his lips, sucking and pulling on the flesh. “Oh… Fuck…” she pants as her hand clinches into a fist in his hair. 

Now she’s ready for a whole lot more. 

Belle suddenly pushes his back against the window of the truck. 

“Belle…” he sighs out heavily, eyes wide with confusion. He wasn’t finished fondling her nipples. 

She touches her brow to his and looks in his deep brown eyes. She thinks their more beautiful than the stars above them. “I’m ready for you now, Alasdair,” she buzzes upon his lips and kisses him firmly, exchanging the saliva between them. She blows sweet damp kisses down the side of his neck and she makes her way to the lower parts of his body. She peppers his chest with more kisses and flicks her tongue over his nipple. He isn’t the only one that enjoys a bit of nipple play. She gently takes it between her teeth and pulls away. 

“Uh,” he moans and she continues leaving a track of kisses as she makes her way lower.

It’s time to take off the pants and free his throbbing manhood. 

Alasdair buries his hands in her thick chestnut curls, as she sits between his legs and unbuckles his belt. He adores the way his finger glide through the threads. 

Belle unbutton the pants, pulls down the zipper, and hoods her eyes up at him. She massages her hand over his pack and teases him just a little more. “You like that, Alasdair?” 

“Uh.. Ah... Yes, sweetheart.” His hips buck forward. With all the blood in his body rushing to one area and the bulge in his pants grows tighter.

“Good.” When she slowly pulls the pants and black boxer briefs down to his thighs, his majestic erection springs out from it’s cotton prison. She thinks the entire scene is breathtaking. “Oh, Alasdair!”

It stands up straight and solid just for her.

She thinks his eight inches are beautiful. Belle wraps her petite hand around thickness and licks the beads of pre-cum from the tip. “Mmm…” she licks her lips. 

“I want to taste you too, Belle.” 

“You will.” She moves over from between his legs to the right side of him, sits on her knees and completely remove his pants in one swift swoop. 

Alasdair can’t believe that just worked. 

She tugs off his dagger printed black socks, tosses them to the side, and picks up the condom from the mattress. “Now that you’re completely naked, you should lay down and get more comfortable,” she says softly.

“I was just thinking that.” He scoots down in the mattress, lying on his back with a pillow underneath his head. 

She crawls up to the head of the mattress and straddles her legs around his chest. Sitting with her cunt just below his chin. 

He can smell her scent from the panties she tosses at him and can see the nectar glistening on her dark pubic curls. “Such a beautiful sight.” He licks his lips, anticipating a taste. 

She hold the condom in her left hand and dips the fingers of her right between the lips of her pleasure center. “Mmm…” Traces circles around the pink pearl.  

“I want to taste you, Belle.” He’s trying not to grow impatient but she’s sitting just under his nose. Her fragrance is inflaming his need for her flavor on his tongue. Alasdair had no idea that she was the type that teased and loved every second of his sexual anguish. “Please, Belle.” 

She grins down at him as she removes her fingers from her saturated folds and traces them around his lips. Then slips them into his mouth. 

His body shudders as he sucks her finger clean. Finally savoring the taste of her luscious pussy. “Ahh…” He nearly cums in this instant, but he holds it back. The only place he’s cumming is in a condom inside of her. 

Belle sits up on her knees, inviting him for the full taste of her. She has had her fun and games with him. Now it's time to indulge in pure bliss. 

Alasdair wraps his hands around her thighs and buries his face, nose deep, between her fluttering petals. Drinking every drop of her succulent syrup. 

“Ahh!” She cries and her voice echoes through the trees of the forest. Belle falls forward supporting herself against the window of the truck. He was far more eager than she thought. “Fuck!” 

Alasdair Gold takes control over his thirst and steadies his greed for her, delighting in her taste more calmly. Relishing every second between her legs. The warm liquid of her sex slides down the side of his face, as he grazes his tongue over every inch of her. The smacking sounds of her luxurious pussy lips against his tongue are like music to his ears. He rapidly flicks his tongue over her jewel, adding more of her cries of pleasure to the symphony. 

“Ah, ah, ah!” Her thighs begin to stiffen around his head, but she keeps them from closing on him. 

Alasdair strokes the his shaft from hilt to tip keeping himself on edge while he eats her out like it’s his last meal on earth. “Mmm…” he hums. Alasdiar wraps his soft lips around her pink bundle of nerves and gently pulls at the delicate flesh as he releases his kiss. He takes a breath of fresh air, removes a few strands of pubic hair from his tongue and instantly reconnects his lips to her. 

Alasdair not only wants her to see the stars in the sky, but entire galaxies in her orgasmic nirvana.

“Oh… Oh… Please…” Her breathing becomes hollow and quick between words. “Please… Stop…”. She can’t take anymore of his talented tongue without cumming on his face and she isn’t ready for this to be over. She hasn’t yet left his rigid length driving deep inside her. 

Alasdair let’s go of her legs and drops his head on the pillows underneath him. 

She instantly fall back on his chest. 

“Have you had enough, my dear?” He sucks and licks on his glistening pussy flavored lips. He could have stayed submerged between her folds a lot longer. 

“Yes,” she catches her breath. “I still need to feel you inside me and I almost lost the condom.”

“Well, that wouldn’t have been good.” He dips his index finger between her thighs and quickly skims it over her throbbing rose bud. 

Belle’s body shivers to his touch. “Hey,” she says with staggered breath. It’s almost as if she can’t take a little teasing herself. “I almost came already.”

“I’m sorry, Belle, but I can’t kept my hands and lips off of it. It’s cute.” 

“No one’s ever called it cute before,” she giggles.

“I don’t know why. It’s the truth.”

She nibbles on her bottom lip as she removes the hair stick to his face. “We could get this on you.” She boops his nose with the condom package. 

“We should,” he snickers. As she starts to move from her seat on his chest, he takes hold of her leg to stop her. “Wait. Do you have to move from your place to put it on? I like you sitting here.” 

“I can turn my body around and put it on that way, but you won’t see my face.”

“That’s okay,” he smirks. “I’ll still get to see that pretty pussy of yours.” 

“Alasdair,” she blushes. 

“It’s the truth.” 

She smiles and moves her left leg from around him, steals a kiss from his lips, and swiftly positions herself back on his chest, facing away from him. She leans into his full erection, with her ass bent before him, and slips the end of his cock into her mouth. 

“Uhh,” he grunts. Her lips are so warm and moist.

She slowly pulls his length out, making a popping sound in the release, and kisses his blushing tip. 

Alasdair asked Belle to stay sitting on his chest for his own erotic pleasures. He suddenly pulls her back into him and immerses his face between her folds once again, stealing another taste of her. His thirst for more was too great to ignore. 

“Ahh! Ahh!” Her body trembles to the flick of his tongue inside her opening. Having his lips against her once again was a little unexpected. “Sh-shit!” She rips open the condom with her teeth and removes the rolled latex. Her hands jitters as she fights off the orgasm tingling at her core and she puts the condom on his cock as quickly as she can. Belle rolls it down his shaft and lifts herself from the suction of his lips, turning her body back to face him. 

Normally, she’d check the condom and push out any air caught in the tip, but she’s so aroused and hungry for sex that she doesn’t think to check it. 

Belle consumes his lips as he flips her onto her back and positions himself on top of her. He rests his hips between her spread legs and his stiffness brushes the brim of her folds. 

“I told you I almost came already,” she speaks on his lips. “Why would you go down on me again?” 

“I didn’t get enough the first time.”

“Well, that was selfish of you.” She kisses his nose. 

“I know, but you liked it.” 

She smiles and goes in for another taste of his lips. “I did,” she whispers and continues their passion fueled kiss. 

Alasdair massages her breast and rolls her nipple gently between his fingers. 

She digs her painted nails into his shoulders and scratches down the length of his back, but she doesn’t break the skin. Belle fills her hand with his ass, giving his plump cheeks a proper squeeze, and he clutches them to her grip. 

“Oooh, Belle, ah, yes,” he groans. 

“Fuck me,” her hand tighten around his round cheeks. “Fuck me, Alasdair,” she demands.

He complies straightaway, having reached his peek of full arousal and starving to feel her tightness pulsating about him. Alasdair slips his right hand down between their legs, take hold of his cock and slowly pushes himself inside her. 

What he wouldn’t do to feel her slick walls without a condom, but that will have to wait for a future time. 

He removes his blunt end and brushes it over her sensitive pearl, teasing her a bit more. She isn’t the only one that likes to play tricks. 

“Mmm… Ahh…” she whimpers and wraps her arms around his neck, holding him close to her. “Fuck me…” she begs. 

He softly kisses her lips, as he glides every inch of himself inside her and hold his position. Relishing the sensation and the incredible connection they’ve made with each other. She so beautiful and wants to take this all in. Alasdair starts off slowly, but firm, hitting her with one single, powerful, buck of his hips. 

“Ah,” her body jerks to the force of his prod and she wraps her legs around him. 

He rest his brow against hers. Even though his deep inside her, he still needs to be close to her. Alasdair gazes into her eyes and drives inside her again. 

“Ah… Oh…” She breathes. 

He slowly paces himself then starts to quicken with more vigorous lunges and never takes his lips away from her. 

Belle rolls her hips with each plunge he takes and clenches her walls around his thickness. “Mmm, mmm,” hums against his lips. She tangles her hands in his hair and involuntary pulls at the silvery locks. Belle’s beginning to lose control of her body. 

Alasdair sits up on his knees and grapples onto her waistline, anchoring himself, and her, to go faster. He thrusts against her again and again and agin. Their body clap with each connection they make. 

The truck squeaks as it rocks back and forth. 

Alasdair drills into Belle, balls deep, filling her to the max with every inch of his manhood. “Uhh… fuck!”, he growls. 

Belle caresses her breast and tugs at her nipples as she looks up at the stars in the clear night sky. She’s never had sex out in the middle of the woods with thousands of stars looking down upon her. It’s an amazing experience and one she’ll never forget. 

Alasdair rides her with everything he’s has, balls smacking against her with each advance of his hips. “Oh, Belle,” he cries and his dick slips out from all the friction, but he doesn’t waste time getting it back inside.

“Wait!” She suddenly sits up and turns over on her hands and knees. “Ride me faster,” she demands. 

"Oh... Yes... Belle.” He renters her warm gushing pussy and fucks her from behind. He lays down on her back, kissing and sucking on her skin, as he takes shallow plunges. “Ah, ah, ah,” reaches underneath her and dips his fingers between her petals, stimulating her even more.

Belle claws and pulls on the pillows on the mattress. “Oh, fuck!” 

He lifts himself from her back, removes his hand from between her thighs and licks off the juices. Her taste is addicting.

She buries her face into a pillow, muffling her cries, and rocks her body against him, driving his cock deeper inside. Her legs start to quiver.

Alasdair grabs hold to her cheeks and waist, squeezing her soft flesh, feeling himself about to burst in any moment. “Oh… Belle… I’m…”. He hold the small of his back for a bit of support. These swift charges are staring to do a number on his body, but he hammers into her with one last burst of energy. “I’m… Gonna cum…” 

“Me too!” She bites down on the pillow. 

He takes several more powerful thrust in her drenched cunt. The walls of her opening constricting around his cock is wearing him thin and he can’t hold off cumming any longer. Sweat drip from Alasdair’s brow, as one of the strongest orgasms of his life takes over his body, and the condom he wears starts to fill with an unwieldy load. 

And the swelling condom accidentally breaks. 

Alasdair doesn’t notice the breakage right away and keeps his ejaculating cock twitching deep inside. 

“Oh… Ahh!” Belle’s body trembles and her pussy pulses with the waves of her blissful orgasm. She haven’t felt such a sensuous release with someone else in years. 

“Oh, Belle.” He breathes heavily, closing his eyes. “Oh, Belle.” Dips his fingers between her folds for another taste of her. He rubs the extract between his fingers and opens his eyes to see how wet they are before sucking them clean, but he finds his hand permeated with semen. 

At first, he can’t believe it and thinks Belle must be a squirter, he’s seen it before, but then he glances down and finds his thick milky seed oozing out from her. “Fuck!”, he shrieks, instantly pulling his cock out and more of his creaminess flows from her opening. A warm fresh creampie. “Belle, I’m sorry.” This isn’t the moment to waste any time. He must confess. “The condom broke.” 

Belle quickly jumps out of her post orgasmic ecstasy. “What!” She turns around and finds Alasdair gawking at her with fear plastered on his face. Then she looks down at his cock and it sports broken latex. “Shit!” Belle goes into panic mode and grabs one of the pillows, pulls off the casing and frantically cleans herself. 

“I’m so sorry, Belle,” he wails in a fright, scooting away from her. “I didn’t feel it break!” 

Belle pushes out his unexpected load and wipes it away. “This has never happened to me before!” The last things she wants are any fast swimmers making their way home. 

“It’s never happened to me either!…” He removes another pillow from it’s case and cleans up any drips on the mattress. “I’m so sorry, Belle!” Hysterically scrubs the blanket between her legs. 

“I think…” she speaks more calmly. Freaking out isn’t going to do anyone any good. “I think it’s okay.” She tosses the pillow slip to the end of the truck bed. “I think it’s okay,” she repeats, trying to assure herself and him.

“Let me get you home, Belle,” he belts out. “You should take a shower.” Taking a shower most likely won’t help the situation, but his mind is so scrambled that he doesn’t know what to do or say. He’s never had such a scare after sex. 

“No… No, Alasdair,” she cups his cheek. “I really do think it’s fine. I got it all out and I’m not ready to leave yet.”

“But, Belle…” He places his hand on her knee and it shivers like a leaf. “I was  _really_  in there…” Scoots closer to her, eyes broad with a fearful awe gleaming in them. “And I came…  _A lot_.”

“I do think we caught it fast enough.”

“Really?”, he asks, tilting his head to the left.

“Yes. I don’t want to go home and a shower won’t do much anyways.”

“Yeah, I know,” he sighs. “I just spouted out the first thing that came to mind.” 

“I figured that much,” a partial smile curls upon her face. 

“Are you sure about staying with me?”, he asks. She must think he’s a fool for not noticing the break. “It’s okay if you’re upset.” 

“No. I’m not upset with you.” She takes his hand. “If anything, this is both of our faults. I probably didn’t put the condom on right.” Lightly squeezes his hand, promising that she isn’t crossed with him. 

He gazes into her eyes and they appear to reflect nothing but honesty. “Okay.” Raises her hand to his lips and kisses it. “We don’t have to go.”

Belle wraps her arms around him and hugs him tightly. She isn’t ready for this spectacular night to end. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me, sweetheart,” he nuzzles into her neck. “I didn’t want to go either.”

“Good, because I still want to cuddle up next to you in the back of this truck.” 

“I was hoping…” He nibbles on her neck and places kisses on her velvet skin as he makes his way to her lips. “I was hoping you’d say something like that.” Kisses her intensely. 

She breaks her lips away from his, pulls down the plush comforter on the mattress and crawls in underneath it. 

Alasdair finally yanks off the broken condom from his flaccid cock and tosses it out of the truck. Climbs in under the warm blanket next to Belle. He lays down behind her, with fluffy pillows under their heads, and holds her close to him.

“Did you ever think the night would go like this?”, she asks, nestling into his arms. 

“The condom breaking? No,” he swiftly answers. 

She giggles, kissing the arm wrapped around her. “Not that, I meant now. Being under the blanket together like this. With the stars overlooking us and feeling absolutely comfortable and safe with each other.” 

“Oh… No, I really didn’t think that.” Presses his lips softly against her shoulder. “I didn’t know what to expect tonight. I just wanted to show you a good time.”

“Well you’ve definitely done that.”

“Then I’m happy.”

“I’m happy too.” She covers her shoulder with the blanket, feeling a bit chilly since they’re no longer doing anything physical. “Mmm… This is so nice, being here like this, being here with you.” 

“It truly is, Belle,” he murmurs. 

“You know, I’m not really tired.”

“You’re not?”

“No,” she turns to face him. “I brought my phone and I have a bunch of books downloaded on it. I’d really love to read to you.” 

He beams at her brightly. Alasdair has watched her read many times in the back room of the shop and has always wanted to join her. “I’d love for you to read to me.” 

“Great.” She sits up and reaches for her dress hanging on the side of the truck. 

“Do you have that book you were telling me about?”, he asks as he delicately traces his fingertips down the curvature of her back. 

Her back arches and she giggles lightly to his tickling touch. “You mean, The Bronze Horsemen?”

“Yes, my dear, that’s the one.”

“No, I don’t have that one on the phone.” She removes her mobile device from the pocket of her dress and lays back down next to him. “But I do have something else you might like.”

“What’s that?”

“Harry Potter.” 

“Alright, I’ve never read that one either.”

“Do you like magic and adventure?” She cuddles back into his warm arms and turns on the phone. 

“Yes.” 

“Then you’re going to love this.” She taps on the book icon and the book cover pops up on the screen. 

“I’m sure I will.”

They lay comfortably in the back of the pickup truck on the soft mattress. Belle reads to Alasdair and they discuss the book between pages. They both fall asleep under the stars in the middle of the forest and wake in each other’s arms with the rise of the morning sun.

##  ********

Three days after Belle’s rendezvous in the woods, she was able to take a Morning After Pill to try to counteract her little scare with broken latex.

  

##  _Part Five: Surprise! You Still Hit The Bullseye_

Six weeks after their night under the stars, Alasdair and Belle continue dating. Their feelings for one another grow stronger with each passing week. 

They work with each other everyday at the shop, selling and trading items with customers. The work atmosphere between the two antique dealers has certainly changed for the better. No more awkward moments or dancing around each other. Belle knows that what she feels inside for Alasdair is exactly how he feels for her. Neither of them has been this truly happy in ages.

##  ********

Alasdair Gold walks to work like he has done everyday for years. Just because he’s dating the boss, doesn’t mean he has to show up early with her. Even though, most days he does. 

He pulls on the glass door to the shop and it doesn’t open, tries again, and it’s still locked. The door is never closed on business days. “Belle?” He knocks on the window, peeks inside, and it’s still dark. It doesn’t look as if she’s been inside at all. 

Puzzled, Alasdair turns away and returns home. He didn’t bring his phone with him today, so he must go all the way back just to call her.

##  ********

At his apartment, Alasdair sits on the leather couch in his living room with the phone to his ear. He waits for Belle to answer the line.

“I’m sorry, Alasdair,” she finally answers after several rings.

“Don’t apologize, sweetheart. Are you alright?” He’s worried about her greatly. She’s never missed a day of work.

“Yes, I’m alright. I just couldn’t…” she stops in the middle of her statement.

“You couldn’t what?”, he questions. Worried even more about what could possibly be going on with her.

“I need to talk to you.”

“Okay… I’m right here. You can talk to me about anything.”

“I don’t think this is something we should talk about on the phone. Can you please come over?”

Alasdair feels a tight knot turning in the pit of his stomach. Whatever she has to talk about seems highly important. “Of course I can. I’m on my way.”

“Alright. I’ll see you in a moment.”

“You will.”

##  ********

Alasdair steps out from his black Cadillac and limps on his cane to the porch of Belle’s manor. He rings the doorbell and waits patiently for her to answer. 

Moments after the ring of the bell, the door swings open and Belle stands behind it with her hair in disarray, skin as pale as the moon, wiping her mouth with a napkin. 

“Belle?” He steps into the house and takes her hand. “That stomach cramp you had looks to be turning into something else.” He closes the front door and wraps his arm around her shoulder. 

“I was fine just before you came.” 

“Do you need to go to the hospital?” 

“No… No, I’m okay.”

“You should sit down.” He leads her into the living room, helps her down on the couch, and takes his place next to her. “Are you sure about not going to the hospital, sweetheart?” He cups her cheek, making sure she isn’t too warm. “You’re not… Well… You’re not looking like yourself.” 

“I know, but I don’t need to go to the hospital. Not yet at least.” 

“What do you mean by that?”

“I’m sorry, Alasdair.” She takes his hand down from her cheek and keeps a hold of it. “It’s just that I know what’s wrong.”

“What is it, sweetheart? My heart is pounding and my stomach is turning because I don’t know what’s wrong with you.” 

She doesn’t know how else to say it, other than just being blunt and honest. “I’m pregnant.”

The vigorous thumping of Alasdair’s heart instantly ceases. His body falls numb. 

“Alasdair?” She leers into his glazed over eyes, trying to find some life in them. “Alasdair?” She gently skims the back of her right hand across his cheek and he take a deep breath as he jumps out of his daze. 

“Y-y-you’re… Y-y-you’re…” He stutters. 

She knows exactly what he’s trying to say. “Yes, I am.” 

He gulps down hard and closes his eyes, trying to regain control of his motor skills. “W-w-we’ve,” pauses, taking another deep breath. “We’ve been careful after you took the pill,” speaks slowly. 

“Yes, I know, and I was just as shocked as you. I was going to tell you when I found out on Friday, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.” She speaks honestly with him after keeping it to herself for almost three days. “I lied to you about doing something with my father over the weekend. I needed some time to myself to think and I couldn’t see you,” she confesses. “This morning I woke up so sick and I knew I wasn’t going to be able to show up for work. I was gonna call you as soon as I finished vomiting, but then you called me.” 

Alasdair sits motionless for a moment, taking in everything she’s said. “But you took the pill, Belle.” He’s mind keeps going back to that one detail. 

“Yes, I did.”

“It didn’t work?”

“No,” she answers, shaking her head. “I took it three days after the condom broke. And the pill is more effective when you take it immediately, like twenty-four hours. That’s what the doctor said. And you know I wasn’t able to take it until a little later. ” 

“So you were just a little late?”, he asks. 

“A little,” she nods. 

“I’m sorry, Belle,” he whimpers, tears burning in his eyes that won’t fall. This is all his fault. Her life is taking a dramatic turn and it’s all his fault. 

“Don’t be sorry. I’m not upset anymore.”

“You were upset?” He nearly freaks. She shouldn’t have been alone during a moment like that. 

“Yes, being upset is kind of a natural reaction to something like this.” She moves closer to him on the couch. “But I’m not anymore.” 

He looks down at his hands and wipes his sweaty palms on the side of his legs. The temperature in the room feels volcanic and the walls are closing in around him. “Are you keeping the baby?” He peers up at her. 

“That’s what I’ve been thinking over and it was a hard thing for me to do. I cried at times.” 

“Oh, Belle,” sighs out with a heavy breath and rest his hand on her knee. He can imagine exactly how she felt in those moments. He’s feeling that gut wrenching pull, yanking him every-which-way, right now. 

“I have decided to keep it.” 

He closes his eyes and a single tears falls to his cheek. “I’m so sorry,” he mutters, as his lips quiver. 

“It’s okay, Alasdair,” she wipes away his tear with her thumb. “It was my decision. I want to keep the baby. I know I can take care of them.”

“That’s not it, Belle.”

“What is it, sweetie? What are you apologizing for?” 

“I-I can’t be a father again.” 

“I can understand. Even though we’ve known each other forever, we haven’t been together long. I didn’t expect you to be overjoyed about this.” 

“That’s not it either.”

“Well what is it? Talk to me.” She knew this conversation wouldn’t be easy, but she didn’t think he’d be stubborn. “You’re making me do all the thinking and I’m just assuming things.”

“I do feel a bit of joy,” he divulges. “Even a little excited, but that’s only because I love you.”

Belle lifts her right hand to her lips, taking in a sharp breath. Those were the not the words she expected to hear today. 

“But I’m afraid. I’m mostly just afraid and I can’t be a father again.” Another tear falls to his cheek. “I ruined my own son’s life. I don’t want to ruin the life of our child.” 

“What happened between you and Neal? You don’t talk about it. You’ve only told me that you lost him, but what does that even mean?” 

“I was a terrible father, Belle,” he opens up to her and tells her what he’s never told anyone. “I drove my son away.” 

“What happened?” 

“Back in Glasgow, my wife left us when Neal was about six years old.” 

“Oh, Alasdair.” She wraps his arm around her back and rest her head on his shoulder. 

“I had to take care of my boy. I wanted him to have a good life. To have the things that I never had. So I worked… A lot.” 

“But you had to take care of your son. No one else was going to.”

“Yes, but I didn’t have to be the man I was.” 

“What do you mean by that? I don’t understand.” 

“I know you don’t, but I’m going to tell you.” He kisses the crown of her head. “I worked for one of the largest banks in Scotland. I helped built up the company and as it got larger, I climbed the ladder and made more money.” 

“None of that sounds too bad.” 

“I’m not finished yet, sweetheart.”

“I know, I was just commenting. Please continue.” 

“I was able to get Neal anything he wanted. We were happy at first. He loved me and he didn’t care about the things I could do or get for him. All he wanted was me, but I worked all the time and that distanced him from me.” He tightens his arm around Belle, keeping her close, fearful that she may be put off by what he tells her. “The more I worked, the more I changed. I climbed so far up the corporate ladder that I had real power in the company. I became the man people feared. The man that they didn’t want to disappoint or it would mean their jobs.” Alasdair looks to Belle and she hasn’t removed her head from his shoulder or flinched from disapproval. She seems to still be listening with full support. So he continues his story. “I liked the power, Belle. I loved the power, I craved it.” 

She lifts her head from his shoulder and gazes at him, but doesn’t say a word. 

“Not only was I that man at work, but I was that man at home, with my son, and he started to resent me. Looking back at it now, I can see it all happening.” He closes his eyes and the images of his life with Neal flash through his mind like a vivid movie. “But I didn’t notice it then. I didn’t notice how much my son hated me. A few months after turning eighteen he left me and that’s the day I knew how much he despised me.” 

“Oh, no,” she gasps and drapes both of her arms around him. “That's… That's…” 

“I know, it’s horrible.” 

“I was gonna say heartbreaking.” 

“You’re not angry?” 

She pulls out of the hug. “Why would I be angry?”

“Because I’m not a good person.” 

“You are a good person and I see that everyday. You’re not that man you used to be.” 

Alasdair reflects at Belle, amazed. How does she keep seeing the good in him, when all he sees is a monster. He wants to kiss her and be held in her arms for the rest of the day, but he must tell her everything. “I quit my job a few years after Neal left. I couldn’t do it anymore. I had spent so many years working and I had earned so much that I could live out the rest of my life without ever working again.”

“What?” She gawks back at him, jaw dropped to the floor. He doesn’t need to work? “But you work at the shop with me. You were there almost two years before my father turned it over to me.” 

“I know, Belle. Please let me explain.” 

“Of course you can explain.”

“You’re not upset with me?” 

She blinks, shaking her head. “I’m just confused.” 

“I needed to find my son. I couldn’t live without him anymore. So I went searching for him,” Alasdair goes on to explain. “He traveled the word.” He smiles, as more detailed memories of his son comes to mind. 

Even though this is a difficult conversation, Belle still thinks his smile is radiant and she happy to see it brighten his face for a moment. 

“Because I was following him, I’ve been to places I thought I’d never go. Beautiful places. But I eventually tracked him to America, right here to Storybrooke. This was the longest place he ever stayed and he made connections with the people here.” With the help of private investigators, Alasdair was able to find out more detailed information about his son, but most of the trails went cold. “He has friends and girlfriends here. I’ve even heard about the possibility of a him having a son, but I don’t know if that’s true or not.” He pauses for a moment, shifting in his seat and folds his hands in his lap. The idea of a grandson is still a tough pill to swallow. “Anyway… When I finally arrived in Storybrooke, he was gone, but I stayed here. I was sick of traveling and I was hoping he’d come back here someday. There was something about this place that he loved.” 

Alasdair goes on to share with Belle how he didn’t want to just sit around waiting and hoping for his son to return to Storybrooke. So he decided to get a job. He worked all his life doing something that turned him into a man his son hated. While living in Storybrooke, Alasdair wanted to have a more mellow and calming job. He’s always had an eye for arts and antiques. When there was an opening at French’s Pawnbroker and Antiques, he took the position. 

From working with Belle and his new life in a small town, the ruthless shark of a businessman faded out. And Alasdair’s became someone he thinks his son would be proud of. 

“So you see why I can’t be a father again. I can’t have another child growing up loathing their father.” 

“No, Alasdair,” she says sternly. “I don’t see why you can’t be a father again.” 

“But, Belle…”

“No!” She cuts him off. “Listen to me.” She unfolds his hands and holds them firmly, looking him square in the eye. “You  _can_  be a father again if you want to. Everything that has happened, everything that you were, is in the past. That is not you anymore. That’s  _not_  you.” She cups his cheek and he closes his eyes, melding into her touch. “I don’t know the man you were back then, but as far as I’m concerned he’s gone. He is not the man I know… And love… A good man is sitting here right next to me and he  _can_  be a father again if he chooses to be.” 

No one has been this brutally honest with him since the day Neal left and he isn’t used to it. “You really believe that?” 

“Yes, I do,” she answers truthfully from the deepest depths of her heart. “I will take care of this baby on my own if I have to and I know I can do it,” she says boldly. “But I want you to know, that I don’t want to do it alone. I want you to take this journey with me.” She tries to drill the truth into that thick skull of his. 

“But why?”, he questions. “Why would you want me there?”

“I think you missed the part when I said that I loved you!”, she yelps. 

He gasps with widen eyes. “You just yelled at me.” Never heard her voice raised in anger. 

She buries her head in her hands. “Ugh.” Slides her hands down her face and drops them into her lap. “Yes, I did,” she huffs. “Because I love you and you are being infuriatingly difficult.” She takes a breath and closes her eyes to collect herself for a moment. She never meant to snap at him. Both of them are stuck between a rock and a hard place and taking out her frustrations on him isn’t helping anyone. “I’m sorry, Alasdair,” speaks more calmly. “I shouldn’t have done that. But you shouldn’t feel sorry for yourself when you have a chance at something new and you want to take it. You do want to take it. Right?” 

“I don’t know, Belle,” he says, with a slight shrug of the shoulders. 

“You said you felt joy and excitement.”

“Yes, I did and I do, but I still don’t know.” 

“Alright,” she says in defeat. This is something he has to figure out of his own. All she can do now is support him. “Alright.” 

The room falls silent as they both stare at the walls and ponder on the life changing and challenging future ahead. 

“I didn’t miss it, Belle,” he breaks the quit void between them and turns his body to face her. 

“You didn’t miss what, sweetie?”

“When you said that you loved me. I didn’t miss it. I heard you and my heart skipped a beat.” 

She chuckles lightly, “Well you were acting like you did miss it." She takes his hand and kisses it. All that matters to her is that he makes the right choice for himself. The same way that she has done for herself. “Look, Alasdair, you don’t have to decide anything now. I know you need time to think, but just know, that I’m here for you and that I’ll love you no matter what.”  

“I love you too, Belle. I know everything you said was right, but I do need some time to think.” Alasdair spends the rest of the day with Belle and takes the night at home to comprehend the situation.

##  ********

Night fell on Storybrooke hours ago and Alasdair lays awake in his bed from a bit of insomnia. Weighing his past against a possible future with Belle and their baby. He’ll never forgive himself for what happened with Neal and it will always sit in the back of his mind. And in the deepest parts of his heart until the day he sees his son again. He’ll never let go of the hope of a reunion.

Alasdair thinks that Belle is absolutely right. He shouldn’t allow his past to stop him from starting something new. He’s always wanted a second chance and this is it. Alasdair has many regrets in his life and he doesn’t want not taking this second chance to be another regret on his long list. 

He sits up in bed after coming to his decision and calls Belle in middle of the night. 

“Hello?”, she answer the phone, groggy from her deep sleep. 

“I’m sorry to wake you up, sweetheart.” 

“It’s alright. I was dreaming about you.”

“You were?”, he asks. 

“Mmhmm, it was a good dream.” 

“I’m happy to hear that. You’re not feeling sick or anything are you?”

“No. I haven’t felt any nausea for hours.”

“That’s good to hear.” 

“Did you call for anything, Alasdair? Or did you just want to hear my voice again like you did a few days ago,” she giggles softly. 

“No,” he snickers. “I really want something this time.”

“What is it, sweetie?”

“I want to be a father again.” 

Belle doesn’t reply. She didn’t think he’d make a decision so soon. 

“Belle? Did you hear what I said?” 

“Yes, yes I did… Are you sure about this?” 

“More than anything.” 

“I’m so happy, Alasdair. I’m so happy,” she whimpers. 

“Are you crying, sweetheart?”

“Yes I am, but they’re tears of joy.” 

“Oh…Oh, that’s good.”

“Can you come over right now? I need to see you.” 

“Of course I’ll come over,” he instantly replies. 

“Thank you so much.” 

“You’re welcome, my love.” 

“I’ll see you in a minute?”

“Yes, you will.”

  

##  _Part Six: Oh Boy Baby_

During the course of the next nine months, Alasdair and Belle prepared for their new arrival. With Alasdair’s loaded banking account, he buys everything Belle needs during her pregnancy and everything their son will ever need for his first months of life. 

They chose the largest spare room in Belle’s manor and transformed it into a lizard themed nursery. Alasdair has an appreciation for the scaly creatures and he’s hoping that his baby boy will have a fondness for them as well. 

Belle believes he’s gone a bit overboard with the reptile obsession. She knows that buying these items and decorating the room are all things he can do for his new son and they make him happy. And all she wants for Alastair is to be proud about fatherhood. 

Their love for each other has blossomed during their wait for parenthood. They can’t live without one another and spend every day and night together. Alasdair has unofficially moved himself into Belle’s pink Victorian. He still has the apartment above the library. Everything there has been collecting dust during the last three months of Belle’s pregnancy. 

Today is three days before the due date. Belle has had several strong contractions throughout the day, but they only lasted a few minutes and passed. Now, she lays in bed with a book propped up on her pregnant belly and her boyfriend by her side, speaking softly to her large baby bump. 

“I can’t wait to meet you Alexander,” he gently rubs her belly. 

“I love when you say his name.” Belle rests her book on the nightstand. 

“Did you hear that, little one? Mum likes when I say your name.” He kisses her baby bump. “Oh!… He kicked when I kissed you.”

“I don’t think he can wait to see you either and he’s trying to break out,” Belle says jokingly. “You talk to him so much. I bet he needs to see your face too.” 

“You’re probably right, sweetheart.” 

She combs her fingers through his hair and shifts in the bed. “Mmm,” she moans, sitting up from her back. “Can you help me, honey? I need to go to the bathroom.” 

“Of course.” He climbs out of bed, takes hold of his cane and limps as quickly as he can to the other side. He helps her to up to her swollen feet and she walks on her own the rest of the way to the bathroom. “I’m going to massage your feet when you come out. They look painful.” He sits on the edge of the bed. 

“They look worse than they feel,” she says through the open bathroom door. 

“Well, that doesn’t matter. I’m gonna do it anyways,” he insists. “I don’t know how you can do it. Carrying a baby. It’s a beautiful thing to witness and it must feel incredible to have a life growing inside of you. I don’t think I could do it. You’re so strong, Belle.” 

“Ahh!”, she yelps. 

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?”, he asks with great concern. 

“Something just popped,” she mutters. 

“What?” He can’t quite understand her mumbling. 

“Something! Just! Popped! Get in here!”

Alasdair jumps to his feet and gimps to the bathroom as fast as his weak ankle will allow him. He’s eyes fall on Belle standing in the middle of the floor with her legs separated and fluid underneath her feet. 

“That was disgusting,” she quivers with repulsion. “I didn’t know there would be so much. I didn't know it would feel like that.”

“Belle?” He steps further into the bathroom. 

“No, no, honey. Don’t come over here. I don’t want you to fall.”

“I have to get you to the hospital.” He takes another step.

“Yes, yes, I know, but don’t come over here,” she urges. “Please just hand me a towel.”

Alasdair yanks the navy blue towel from the rack just out of her reach and lays it on the tile floor by her wet bare feet, then offers her his hand. 

She carefully steps on the towel, takes his hand and he helps her escape the slippery floor. 

He wraps his arm around the small of her back and leads them to the bed to fetch his cane.  He quickly grabs the cane and slips his feet into his pair of plush crocodile house shoes. Belle bought them for him when they were out shopping for their son. “The baby’s coming… Right?”

“No, no I just split water on the floor,” she answers sarcastically. Slipping her feet in house shoes as well.

“What?” He shuffles them towards the door. 

“Ahh!”, she cries in pain, holding onto her heavy contracting belly. “Of course he’s coming, silly. That was just a joke.” 

“How can you joke at a time like this!”, he freaks. 

“I don’t know!”

They make their way down to the second floor. Belle stops at the foot of the stairs and leans against the railing. Her body ripples with an agonizing pain she’s never felt in her life. “I don’t need… You carrying me.” She breathes steadily trying to make it through the powerful contraction. 

“Please don’t be like this, Belle. I need to help you to the car.”

“I… I can make it. You don't…” She breathes. “You don’t need… extra weight on your ankle.” Though Belle is the one in labor, she’s worried about her boyfriend straining himself. “After this one passes… We’ll go.” 

“But Belle…”

“No, sweetie… I don’t want you getting hurt.” She breathes in deeply and lets it out slowly. “What good will it… Do…  If we’re both in pain.”

He can’t imagine standing back and watching her make the journey to the car on her own. The mere thought of it is too heartbreaking to bare. “Let me hold your hand at least.” 

She instantly takes a tight grip of his hand and concentrates on her breathing. 

Alasdair rubs on her back. “Breath, sweetheart.” He breathes calmly with her just like they’ve done together in a birthing class they recently took. 

Several moments pass and the constrictions begin to fade. She uses this time to make her way to the car. “Are the bags still in your car, sweetie?” She squeezes his hand firmly.

“Yes, everything for you and Alexander’s stay at the hospital are still there. I never took them out.” He continues to soothe her back even though her grip on his hand is a bit unbearable.

“Good…” She lets go of the stair railing, but not Alasdair’s hand, and slowly staggers to the front door. “I’m ready to go.”

##  ********

In the delivery room full of nurses, Belle lays on the bed with her caring, anxious, boyfriend by her side and he holds onto her hand for dear life. Though her contractions are dangerously strong, her pain is minimal after receiving an epidural shot. 

“Your doing such a good job, Belle.” Alasdair says softly, brushing back the hair from her brow. 

“I’m just laying here,” she replies, sensing the moment is nigh. 

“You’re doing more than just laying there, sweetheart.” 

She gives him a slight grin, as the doctor returns to the room to check if Belle is in full dilation, and she is. 

Dr. Whale instructs Belle to push, as Alasdair dotingly encourages her. This is the hardest thing she’s ever done in her life and she wasn’t quite prepared for the physical aspect. She’s has read a million books about childbearing, but experiencing it for herself is unlike anything she ever read between pages. 

All the shattering pain will be well worth it in the end. She’ll get the opportunity to meet her new son. 

Sweat beads on Belle’s brow as she breathes between pushes and the doctor informs her that one more will do the trick. She gives one final push, for what feels like ages, and the strong cries of their baby boy fills the delivery room. 

Belle has never heard such a strong and powerful cry. It’s the most beautiful sound she’s ever heard. 

Alasdair gently kisses Belle on the brow as the nurses take their son away to check his vital signs, clean him and wrap him up warmly to hand him over to his proud, and exhausted, mother. 

“He’s beautiful, Belle,” Alasdair kisses the crown of her head. 

“Did you see him, sweetie?”, she sighs out, still catching her breath. She’s never felt her body so weak. 

“Yes, I did, well not all of him, but the parts of him I did see were gorgeous.”

“Oh, Alasdair.” She cups the back of his neck and gently pulls him into her. “I really do love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” 

Dr. Whale holds the eight pound newborn in his arms and turns to the new proud parents. “Your beautiful, healthy, son,” he says. Laying the crying child into his mother’s arms for the first time.

Belle holds her boy, feeling a new emotion rushing through her body that she can’t quite describe. Motherhood. 

“I told you he was beautiful, Belle.” This day reminds him of the day his first son was born. “Neal looked just like that.” He gently strokes the back of his index finger across his son’s plump rosy cheek. 

“He did?” 

“Mmhmm,” he answers, too chocked up for words. Trying not to tear up too much from the pure joy rushing through his soul. But he can no longer hold back his tears and they flow from his eyes like a waterfall. He’s a father again.

“Good.” She delicately kisses Alexander Gold’s cheek and caresses her nose gently across his smooth skin. 

A nurse shows Belle how to properly breastfeed her son, then she, the doctor, and the other nurses clear the room. Leaving the new family alone to get to know each other. 

“I’ve never experienced love at first sight.” Belle says, as she compresses her left breast with a tender squeeze, keeping an even flow to her sons lips. “It’s amazing.”

“It truly is, Belle.” He wipes the tear from his eye. “I’ve felt it once before and now I have the chance to feel it again.” 

“I’m so happy for you, Alasdair.” 

“You’re happy for me?”

“You get to be want you’ve always wanted to be again.” 

Alasdair’s heart jumps when he hears her words and he kisses her firmly, breathing in deeply through his nose. “Will you marry, Belle?”, he hums upon her lips. 

Belle takes in a sharp breath as she gazes into his eyes, “Yes.

##  ***  
*  
*  
*  
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##  _Epilogue_

Belle and Alasdair Gold have been married for over a year and living happily under the roof in the pink Victorian. Being parents is one of the toughest jobs they’ve ever had, but they enjoy every moment of it together. It’s especially joyful for Alasdair. Being that it’s his second chance taking on the difficult task. He wants to do everything right by his baby boy, but never forgets the mistakes he’s made with his first son. They still weigh heavily on his heart. 

The sun shines brightly on this cool spring day, as Belle and Alasdair push their one year old through the Storybrooke City Park.

Alexander Gold starts to cry, seeking the attention of his parents and fed up with sitting in the stroller.

“Papa’s got you, Sandy.” Alasdair steps in front of the stroller, picks up his son, and stands next to his pregnant wife. 

“You know you’re spoiling him, sweetie,” she rubs her belly. Soothing the kicks of their daughter. 

“I know,” he kisses Belle soft lips. “I know,” speaks upon them. 

“Maybe we should take him home. He might be hungry. I know I could use something to eat myself.” Belle tassels the light auburn curls on her son’s head. 

“Alright, sweetheart,” he kisses her cheek and rest Alexander back into his stroller. Alasdair can’t carry his son for long distances and right now they’re located in the middle of the city park. He buckles the child securely into his seat and Alexander cries to be back in his father’s arms. 

“I told you, you were spoiling him,” Belle huffs. 

“Yeah, yeah I know that, sweetheart,” he shrugs. “Let’s get him home.” Smirks as he offers Belle his arm and she gladly accepts it. 

As they’re walking arm in arm and Belle pushes their screaming boy through the park, a young family sits on a bench in their path to the car. 

The family enjoys ice cream and engage in conversation together, adoring this beautiful day under the sun. 

There’s something about the man of the family that catches Alasdair’s attention. The closer he gets to them, the more familiar the man appears. 

Alasdair’s heart thumps against his chest with watch step he takes. He doesn’t know who the blonde woman or the preteen child is, but the man between them, the lively, smiling man that seems to be making all the jokes, shares very familiar facial features. Too many striking features for Alasdair to ignore. 

Alasdair stops before the bench where the family sits and stares at the man. 

“Come on, honey,” Belle lightly tugs on his arm. 

The man on the bench notices Alasdair and he instantly stands to his feet with a look on his face as if he’s seen a ghost. And his family gawk at him confused. 

Alasdair let’s go of his wife’s arm and steps closer to the man.

He has dark brown messy short hair and deep chocolate eyes, much like Alasdiar’s, and the stubble of a goatee peppered on his face. 

They reflect on one another, eyes filled with an ocean of emotions. 

“Papa?” the man mutters.

“Neal?” Alasdair whimpers, holding back the tears burning in his eyes.  

Neither man knows whether to hug the other or build another twenty foot wall between them. But Alasdair gives into his impulse and drapes his arm tightly around his son. He’s dreamt about this moment for years and he isn’t gonna let it pass without hugging his beloved first born. 

“I’m so sorry, son,” he murmurs in his ear. 

Neal hesitates for a moment. This is the man who thought power was more important than him, but he warms to his father’s embrace and hugs him back. Even though the man was cold and ruthless at times, Neal still loved and missed him. “Do you know how long I’ve waited to hear that from you?”

“Yes I do,” Alasdair pull out of the hug and glimpses into Neal’s eyes. There still as warm and full of love as when he was a boy. Alasdair believes that there’s something in his eyes that’s has remained childlike over the years. And he finds himself getting lost in them. 

Belle looks on, lost by her husband’s actions for a moment, but it doesn’t take long for the situation to sink in. This must be Neal Cassidy Gold.

“Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?” Alasdair asks. 

“I’ve thought about it over the years and I know there is room in my heart for forgiveness.” 

“I have changed, son. I… I truly have.” Alasdair directed Neal to his wife and son standing paces behind them. “I regretted everything that happened between us,” he says. Trying to show his son that love has mended parts of his damaged heart. “And hoped everyday that I would have the chance to ask you for your forgiveness.”

“Is that your family, papa?” Neal asks. He never thought his father would start a new family. Knowing he was wrong is a bit shocking to the system. 

“Yes it is,” his voice cracks from all the emotion building up inside him. His beloved son is standing right before him. Alasdiar is expecting to wake from this dream at any moment, but he never does. This is all reality. “Is that your family, son?” He turns back the woman and child on the bench. 

“Oh, oh yes it is,” Neal nods and looks back at his family. “My wife and son.” Neal has spent the last several years in and out of Storybrooke. Working in New York City and traveling between the two cities to support his family. Recently he was able to make Storybrooke his permanent residents again. 

Alasdair believes his son has a beautiful family and wants a chance to get to know them as well. “I’ve never stopped searching for you and I always hoped you’d come back to Storybrooke.” He speaks to his son honestly, placing his hand on his shoulder. “I don’t expect you to instantly forgive me. I know that’s going to take some time and work. If you will allow me to come back into your life.” 

“Thank you, papa. I have missed you.” He says taking his father’s hand into his own. “But I… I can’t make any decision on that right now.” Too many years of mistrust with Alasdair has scolded him. 

“I understand that.” It hurts him to say it, but he truly does know how Neal feels. “I really do.” He turns to Belle and she gazes back at him with love and support. She knows how long he’s waited for this moment. “But it would mean the world to me if you met my wife and your little brother,” Alasdair goes on to add. 

“My little brother?” He’s never fathomed the idea. 

“Yes, son, and you have a sister on the way.” 

“Oh God,” he chuckles, combing his left hand through his hair. “Of… Of course I’ll meet them and… And you can meet my son, Henry.” 

Tears fall to Alasdair’s cheek. This moment is all he’s deeply wanted since the day Neal walked out of the house and never returned. “I’d love that.”

Neal calls over his wife and son as Belle brings the stroller to stand beside her emotional husband. The blended family met and greet with each other for the first time. Beginning the healing process for the broken hearts of a father and son.


End file.
